All the spring rains have really produced an incredible show this year.  The iris are spectacular.  Some cultivars are very old, most are unnamed, many were given to me by friends.  A few that I moved last fall were stubborn and did not bloom this year, but I had other surprises with some blooming that have not done so in years.  So without further ado… behold the iris

Well that was quite nice wasn’t it?  The Japanese Iris (Ensata) will be along in a few weeks.. lots of buds though.

Greetings gardeners. The lovely tree peony in the last post is still blooming thanks to the cool weather and a parasol.  My garden club friend Olga gave me the peony years ago and last week she gave me a parasol to shade it.  The effect is stunning.  Thank you, Olga. I am posting this photo for you, Jessica. I don’t know Jessica but we “met” through garden blogging.  She lives in Devon, England and is the writer of the Rusty Duck Blog.  She and her husband are renovating an amazing cottage, and I thought this image might just bring her a moment of tranquility.

So this one is for you, Jessica.  I hope it gives you an ahhhhhh moment during the turmoil of  plaster and cob and mud and all the rest.  And I hope many of my readers will read her blog https://www.rustyduck.net/  and follow along as the renovations proceed.  Her garden is pretty special too.

Oh yes, and the iris have begun blooming.